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Bassino. 



The Game of Bassino, invented by a gen- 
tleman of culture to while away the tedium 
of hours of enforced idleness, was found to 
accomplish that agreeable duty so well, that 
he deemed it best to let the public share in 
the pleasure it has aflbrded him ; and in pur- 
suance of that design he has secured Letters 
Patent for it, and it is now presented to the 
public in perfected form. 

Two distinct yet related games can be 
played upon the Bassino Board, — ^the Game 
of Bassino, with twelve men, or the Game of 
Bowls, (Ten Pins,) with ten men, — by simply 
making a slight change, as indicated upon the 
Table, in the arrangement of the men. As 
the Game of Bowls is generally well under- 
stood, but few dii'ections are necessary to be 
given ; but the Game of Bassino, being ncAV, 



6 

requires to be explained somewhat elabo- 
rately. 

The Bassino Board has a table, properly 
marked, and a cushioned inclined plane. The 
table is at the end of the board where the 
player sits, and is marked with triangularly 
placed dots, on which the men are arranged. 
At the extreme end of the board, bett\^een two 
pockets, but connected wilih the table' by a 
bridge, is a raised triangular table, called the 
Castle, on which the King stands, w^hile Bas- 
sixp stands upon the bridge, and Little Bas- 
siNO is placed at the point of the triangle far- 
thest from the player. The remaining' points, 
or dots, upon the main triangle are occupied 
by the table men, teix in number. The 
men are thus properly arranged for playing 
Bassino. 

(The position of the men, or pins, being im- 
mediately before the player, enables him to 
have perfect command of his game; without 
requiring the assistance of another person to 
set up his men, as in other similar games, and 
enables him to produce effects not possible 
where no returning ball forms the desirable 



feature of the shot. For playing ''solitaire^' 
there v^ nothing that can equal it. If an an- 
tagonist is not to be obtained, you can play 
alone with almost equal pleasure.) 

There are three Balls used, and three shots 
constitute a play, or turn. 

The Balls, placed upon the pads on either 
side of the table, whence they must always be 
started, are driven up the inclined plane by a 
Mace, and while the balls must be sent up to 
the top cushion, the Mace must not be pushed 
above the line across the inclined plane. 

For the convenience of players, there is a 
Paper Block furnished, on the sheets of which 
are suitable checks and spaces mled off for 
wiiting the initials of the players and scoring 
the shots. The larger checks are for marking 
the real counts made, — the smaller for noting 
"Spares," &c. 



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FOR PLAYING, AND TERMS USED 
IN, THE GAME OF BASSINO. 



This game may be played by one person, 
or by two or three ; or four may make it a 
partner game. The rules, given further mi, 
should be closely adhere^d to. 

First see that your board stands even, and 
that your men are accurately placed. Hold 
your mace firmly, but not with a rigid grip, 
and drive the ball fairly, and with considera- 
ble force, against the upper end cushion, that 
its speed in returning may be somew^hat accel- 
erated. Avoid hitting the men wdth your 
mace, and do not attempt to catch a returning 
ball with the mace. A little practice will give 
you command of the angles, and by using 
them you will make the most effective shots. 

Ten plays constitute a game. Each player 
is entitled to use three balls in a j^lay ; but the 



9 

game is much shortened by making double 
counts, in playing spares, as directed further 
on. Always score as soon as your play, or 
count, is determined. 

Marks and Scores. — Mark your spares and 
strikes in small space upon the Book Block, 
and score your play, when completed, in the 
larger checks. 

I31PERFECT Shot. — Where the first ball is 
not driven to the cushion at the top of the in- 
clined plane. This shot may be withdrawn — 
and the men must be reset. 

Foul. — All imperfect shots, after the first. 
These must be counted as shots made in the 
play, but the men knocked down must be 
reset, and not counted in the play. 

Perfect Shot. — Where all the proper con- 
ditions are observed. 

Full. — Where all the table men are over- 
thrown. The score is 10. 

Bassino Full. — When you also knock down 
the Bassino. The score is 15. 

King Full. — When you also get the King. 
The score is 25. 

(Fulls are so counted when all three of the 
balls are used in the play, and the table men 
and B., or both B. and K. are overthrown. 



10 



Spare. — Where all the table men are over- 
thrown with first two balls. Your count is 
10 ; but do not score it. Mark a cross (x) 
in the space above the check, and when you 
play your next turn, add the number got with 
your first ball to the 10, and then score in the 
check corresponding to the former play, but 
count the number got with this shot in the 
play you are now making. Or, if you desire, 
you may use the spare ball in trying to get 
Bassino, or the King, or both. If you get Bas- 
sino, your score is 15 ; if you get the King, 
score 20, or score 25 if you get both. This 
. uses up your spare. 

Bassino Spare. — To get Bassino also. — 
Count the Bassino as 5, making 15 in all, and 
play your spare as before directed. Or you 
may use your spare in trying to get a King 
Shot ; but whether you succeed or not, your 
spare is no longer available. 

King Spare. — To get the King also. Your 
number is now 25, and to that add what you 
make with your spare, and score as before. 

Strike. — Where all the table men are over- 
thrown with the first ball. Your count is 10, 
and you have two spares, or two extra shots, 
which use as before directed ; using both, if 
you desire, for Bassino and the King. If you 
get Bassino with the first ball you may mark 



11 

, Bx, or you may usq the spare for a King 
Shot, and then score. 

Bassixo Strike. — To get Bassino, also, 
with first ball. Yom* mark should be Bxx, or 
you may use the two spares for a King Shot. 

King Strike. — To get the King, also, with 
first ball. Your count for the shot is 25, but 
your mark should be Kxx. You cannot now 
try for a King Shot, for the King is over- 
thrown, and your score must be determined by 
the first two shots in the next play. 

King Shot. — To use your Bassino Spare, 
or one or both your Bassino Strike balls and 
overthrow the King. A King Shot counts 30 ; 
but in order to make it fairly, you must first 
remove all men and balls from the pockets. — 
This shot is somewhat difficult to make, but a 
good player will succeed twice in three shots. 
It is recommended always to try the angles 
for this shot. 

Forfeit. — When you fail to overthi-ow the 
Little Bassino. In this event you count no- 
thing in the play, but must cany forward the 
amount of last real score to the check coitcs- 
ponding to yom- play. 

Rebate. — To miss Little Bassino, and make 
a Muff in one play. You then lose all the ta- 
ble men you have got, which, vdth. 5 for Bas 
sino, or 10 for the King, or io for both, if 



12 

either or both have been overthrown, must 
be deducted from your previous sco]*e, or made 
good as the game progresses, if your pre- 
vious score is not sufficient. 

Muff. — A perfect shot that fails to count. 



SCORING. 

It seems impossible that, with the foregoing- 
directions, a person should not understand sco- 
ring the game of Bassino ; but to make it as 
plain as possible we subjoin a synopsis of a 
series of plays, in which all the shots possi- 
ble are supposed to be made: — 

First Play — Shot 3 balls ; got 5 men, and 
made a muff, — scored 5. 

Second- — 2 balls ; 10 table pins — marked a 
spare (x). 

Third— First ball 8 table men ; added 8 to 
the 10 got with first twn balls of second play, 
making that play 18, to which I added 5 got 
in first play, and scored 23 in second' check. 
Second ball, got two remaining table men and 
Bassino. Marked Bx in space above third 
check. 

Fourth — First ball, got Bassino strike, (15) ; 
scored 38 in third check, and still had 15 and 



13 

two spares toward fourth piay. Used one spare 
to get a King shot ; missed. Now marked 
Bx in fomlh s]>ace. 

Fifth— First ball King strike. Scored (25, 
15 and 38)~78 in fourth check, marked Kxx 
in fifth check. 

Sixth — First two balls, missed little Bassi- 
uo but got all the others, scored 102 in fifth 
check ; made a muif with thu'd ball. Lost 
24 ; scored 78 in sixth check 

Seventh^ — Bassino strike. Used first spare 
for King shot and got it. Shot third ball ; got 
10 ; scored 133. (After a King Shot, a re- 
maining spare may be immediately played, and 
the score completed, or the spare may be car- 
ried as Bx to next sj^ace.) 

Eighth — King strike. Scored 158 in sev- 
enth check, and marked Kxx in eighth space. 

Ninth — First ball, strike ; second, got Bassi- 
no. Now scored 173 in eighth check, and 
made a King shot. Scored 218 in ninth 
check. 

Tenth — Shot all three balls, but missed Lit 
tie Bassino. Camed 218 to tenth check. 



The foregoing plays are subject to almost 
unlimited variations. We might go on and 



14 

fill page after page with examples ; but enough 
have probably been recorded to give the learn- 
er a clear idea of the method. After scoring 
a few games, he will find it an easy thing to 
keep his count correct. 

Always remember that spares, or strikes 
count upon the play you have made, for this 
reason : you were entitled to the product of 
THREE shots in that play ; and that they also 
invariably count forward to an equal amount. 
This you mil more clearly understand as you 
progress, and you will also learn that, by this 
method of counting, it is possible to score 750 
as the product of only twelve shots ; and that 
you could not get more if you made thirty dis- 
tinct shots. You will also learn that it is pos- 
sible for you to be minus several hundi'ed at 
the close of a game. It is this seeming intri- 
cacy, or mvolvedness in marking and scoring 
the plays that makes the Game of Bassino so 
intensely interesting. This is also excellent 
training for the mind of the young, making 
them quick and sharp in difficult computa- 
tions. For Bassino educates, in a certain de- 
gree, beneficially, those w^ho play it. 



15 

As an amusement, for one or many, the 
Game of Bassino stand pre-eminent above all 
others. Xo fireside, no parlor, no situation 
can be dull where it is being played. It at- 
tracts the young, and by its intense excitement 
keeps them from seeking the hmtful pleasures 
away from home. Men of business can un- 
bend at the Bassino board, and find healthful 
relaxation in the play, and be all the sharper 
therefor when they again take up the burden 
of life's cares. 



16 



Bowls. 



Many persons may desire to play a gatne 
less difficult to score than Bassino. For these 
the Bassiiio Board can be used in the game of 
Bowls, or Ten Pins, by simply leaving off the 
Bassino and King. The method of playing, 
marking and scoring is the same as on the 
common Bowling Alleys, except that the men 
are overthrown with returning balls, — one of 
the^ chief merits of this arrangement of the 
game. The same rules for making the shots 
govern in this game as in Bassino. It is not 
necessary that we describe the Game of Ten 
Pins ; it is so common that every person can 
easily become familiar with it. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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